COVID is changing the holidays this year but you may still find yourself in tense conversation with family regarding race, politics, and current events. This year, think ahead about how you will respond to these conversations. Who are you talking to? What do you want to achieve? What is the best way to meet your goal and reach the people you’re talking to? Use this placemat as a prompt and find many thanksgiving specific resources here.
Show Up!
CU-SURJ Check in Circle (weekly)
December 1st, 6 p.m.
Election Justice Action Hour: National Updates and Local Planning (weekly)
December 2nd, 7 p.m.
#endwhitesilence Car Parade and Radio Hour
December 5th, 12:45 p.m.
Phonebank for Georgia Senate Runoff
November 26 – December 6 (evenings)
Post Election TextBank with SURJ
Calls to Action
- There are so many election-related calls to action, we made a spreadsheet! Check out upcoming national trainings, as well as resources and toolkits.
- The Trump campaign is attempting to discredit votes in largely Black cities like Detroit and Philadelphia. Tell your officials to defend the election results. In specific, Rodney Davis has been using “voter fraud’ language and needs to be challenged on it.
- Actively post against disinformation on social media with this updated toolkit including timey November 23rd talking points. (Note:you can set up and schedule many posts in advance to be delivered over the next few days)
- Tell Biden and Harris to meet with Black Lives Matter.
- Make a gift to SURJ and New Georgia Project Action Fund help protect voting rights.
- Write a letter to the editor in The News-Gazette about this or another racial justice issue.
Events
Recenter Reground Refresh: Post-election Spiral
November 25th, 12 p.m.
M4BL/Frontline Election Defender Training (weekly)
November 26th 6:30p.m.
M4BL/Frontline Mass Calls (weekly)
November 25th, 7 p.m
Resources
Local Voices
- Read: Real Talk | “Whew: A reckoning, not a reconciliation” by Sundiata Cha-Jua
- Give: Project Christmas Joy provides toys, pajamas, and holiday wrapping paper to children and families at risk of entering the foster care system in and around Champaign County.
Learn more
- Read: “If We’re Not Organizing White People, Somebody Else Is”
- Read: FBI Report: Bias-Motivated Killings At Record High Amid Nationwide Rise In Hate Crime
Cultural Work:
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Music: #EndWhiteSilence Car Rally Playlist
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Art: Be public! Be creative! with the “Chalk Art For Activism”
We also encourage you to:
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Follow CU-SURJ on Facebook
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Post events and resources, including when you’re taking action on our Community FB Page so others can be inspired and join you
About CU-SURJ
CU Showing Up for Racial Justice (CU-SURJ) is the Champaign-Urbana, IL chapter of SURJ, a national, multi-racial network that works to undermine white supremacy and to work for racial justice with an emphasis on mobilizing white people and their resources.
Locally, we do this through:
- Gathering and sharing resources to oppose white supremacy and support racial justice in our community
- Cultivating a community of committed individuals who will mobilize as needed
- Making clear commitments to act and being accountable for those actions
- Collective self-education, including addressing the emotional and psychological barriers to effective engagement
CU- SURJ recognizes accountability to BIPOC (Black, Indigenous, People of Color) as a core principle central to the work for racial justice and transformative change. Our SURJ national partner is the Movement for Black Lives.
Top photo from Showing Up For Racial Justice Facebook page.